System and method for quick access of computer resources to control and configure a computer

Abstract

The present technique provides a system and method for quickly accessing, configuring, and controlling computer resources, such as hardware components and software applications of a computing device. A resource control menu is provided with controls, such as links to configuration utilities, for a plurality of resources of the computing device. In operation, a user launches the resource control menu by performing a launching action, such as a single button click. The user then controls the desired resource by selecting one of the controls from the resource control menu.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for controlling resources of a computing device, comprising the acts of: 
 acquiring resource data for a plurality of system resources of the computing device;    forming a resource control menu listing the plurality of system resources; and    providing a quick-access launching mechanism to launch the resource control menu.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of acquiring resource data comprises the act of retrieving hardware operational data.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the act of retrieving hardware operational data comprises the act of obtaining existing hardware settings.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of acquiring resource data comprises the act of extracting a portion of the resource data directly from the plurality of system resources.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of acquiring resource data comprises the act of extracting a portion of the resource data from BIOS of the computing device.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of forming the resource control menu comprises the act of linking a hardware control utility to at least one menu item in the resource control menu.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of forming the resource control menu comprises the act of assigning a hardware control function to at least one menu item in the resource control menu.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of forming the resource control menu comprises the act of creating a plurality of one-stage control triggers for the plurality of system resources.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the act of creating the plurality of one-stage control triggers comprises the act of defining digitizer-activated buttons.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of providing the quick-access launching mechanism comprises the act of associating the resource control menu with a digitizer-activated launch button.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the act of providing the quick-access launching mechanism comprises the act of associating the resource control menu with a one-click software button.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising the act of disposing the resource control menu and the quick-access launching mechanism on a tablet computer.  
     
     
         13 . A method for controlling resources of a computing device, comprising the acts of: 
 launching a resource control menu listing a plurality of resource control options for the resources; and    selecting a desired one of the plurality of resource control options to initiate resource control.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the act of launching comprises the act of engaging a software button displayed on the computing device.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the act of launching comprises the act of tapping a digitizer-activated button on the computing device with a digitizing pointing device.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the act of launching comprises the act of depressing a electromechanical button disposed on the computing device.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the act of launching comprises the act of accessing links to a plurality of hardware configuration utilities.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the act of selecting comprises the act of tapping the desired one with a digitizing pointing device.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the act of selecting comprises the acts of: 
 scrolling through the plurality of resource control options with a menu scrolling mechanism disposed on the computing device; and    selecting the desired one with a menu item selection button disposed on the computing device.    
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the act of selecting comprises the act of touching a touch-activated screen-area of the resource control menu.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the act of selecting comprises the act of toggling a hardware setting of the computing device.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the act of selecting comprises the act of activating a hardware configuration utility for the desired one.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the act of activating comprises the act of interacting with the hardware configuration utility to edit operational properties of the desired one.  
     
     
         24 . A system for controlling resources of a computing device, comprising: 
 a resource control menu listing a plurality of system resources; and    a quick-access launching mechanism linked to the resource control menu.    
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the resource control menu comprises a launching link to a hardware configuration utility for at least one of the plurality of system resources.  
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the resource control menu comprises a toggle for a hardware setting of at least one of the plurality of system resources.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the resource control menu comprises a hardware configuration routine for at least one of the plurality of system resources.  
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the quick-access launching mechanism comprises a digitizer-activated button.  
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the quick-access launching mechanism comprises an electromechanical button disposed on the computing device.  
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the quick-access launching mechanism comprises a continually-visible software button.  
     
     
         31 . The system of  claim 24 , wherein the resource control menu and the quick-access launching mechanism are disposed on a tablet computing device.  
     
     
         32 . A system for controlling resources of a computing device, comprising: 
 multi-resource control means for configuring a plurality of system resources of the computing device; and    launching means for initiating the multi-resource control means.    
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , comprising means for analyzing operational characteristics of the plurality of system resources.  
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the plurality of system resources comprise hardware components of the computing device.  
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the multi-resource control means and the launching means are disposed on a tablet computing device.  
     
     
         36 . A computer system, comprising: 
 a tablet computing device having a plurality of system resources;    a resource control menu listing the plurality of system resources; and    a launching mechanism linked to the resource control menu.    
     
     
         37 . The computer system of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of system resources comprise hardware components.  
     
     
         38 . The computer system of  claim 37 , wherein the hardware components comprise audio/video components.  
     
     
         39 . The computer system of  claim 36 , wherein the plurality of system resources comprise software applications.  
     
     
         40 . The computer system of  claim 39 , wherein the software applications comprise hardware configuration utilities.  
     
     
         41 . The computer system of  claim 40 , wherein the hardware configuration utilities comprise a display orientation utility having a plurality of different viewing orientations for a display of the tablet computing device.  
     
     
         42 . The computer system of  claim 40 , wherein the hardware configuration utilities comprise a tablet computer configuration utility.  
     
     
         43 . The computer system of  claim 40 , wherein the hardware configuration utilities comprise a digitizer pen configuration utility.  
     
     
         44 . The computer system of  claim 40 , wherein the hardware configuration utilities comprise a mobile power configuration utility.  
     
     
         45 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the resource control menu comprises a link to a resource configuration utility for at least one of the plurality of system resources.  
     
     
         46 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the resource control menu comprises a toggle for a hardware setting of at least one of the plurality of system resources.  
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the launching mechanism comprises a digitizer-activated button.  
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the launching mechanism comprises a electromechanical button disposed on the tablet computing device.  
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the launching mechanism comprises a software button.  
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the software button is continually visible in a display screen of the tablet computing device.  
     
     
         51 . A method for configuring hardware of a portable computing device, comprising the acts of: 
 acquiring hardware data for a plurality of hardware components of the portable computing device;    forming a hardware configuration menu listing the plurality of hardware components; and    providing a user access mechanism to launch the hardware configuration menu.    
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the act of acquiring hardware data comprises the act of obtaining existing hardware settings of the plurality of hardware components.  
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the act of acquiring hardware data comprises the act of extracting a portion of the hardware data from an operating system of the portable computing device.  
     
     
         54 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the act of forming the hardware configuration menu comprises the act of linking a hardware configuration utility to at least one menu item in the hardware configuration menu.  
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the act of forming the hardware configuration menu comprises the act of providing a hardware configuration toggle in the hardware configuration menu.  
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 51 , comprising the act of disposing the hardware configuration menu and the user access mechanism on a tablet computer.  
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 51 , wherein the act of providing the user access mechanism comprises the act of placing an access button on the portable computing device in a continually accessible location during operation.  
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 57 , wherein the act of placing the access button comprises the act of displaying a software button on a display screen of the portable computing device.  
     
     
         59 . A system for configuring hardware components of a computing device, comprising: 
 a hardware interface menu listing a plurality of hardware components;    a hardware configuration mechanism linked to each listed component of the plurality of hardware components; and    a user access mechanism linked to the hardware interface menu.    
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the hardware configuration mechanism comprises a hardware configuration toggle.  
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the hardware interface menu comprises a hardware configuration routine.  
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the hardware configuration mechanism comprises a hardware configuration application having a user interface.  
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the user access mechanism comprises a digitizer-activated button.  
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the user access mechanism comprises an electromechanical button disposed on the computing device.  
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the user access mechanism comprises a button disposed on the computing device in a continually accessible location during operation of the computing device.  
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 65 , wherein the button comprises a software button disposed on a display screen of the computing device.  
     
     
         67 . The system of  claim 59 , wherein the hardware interface menu and the user access mechanism are disposed on a tablet computing device.